tinytawnykitten Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Ok, so I gotta ask, what is a sump, why have one, how does it work and how do I set one up? :oops: :roll: :evil: :lol: (I am not sure how to feel) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 A sump is simply a secondary tank located below the main tank, usually connected by way of an overflow and return pump. They are used to 'hide' heaters and other equipment out of view (particularly with marine tanks), and in some cases have seperate lighting etc and are used as 'refugiums' to grow algae and little critters that would otherwise be consumed if the fish could get to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 they can also contain filter media for a biological filter bigger than most canister filters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted May 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Ooooook Sump is not for me! Thanks though! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldogod Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Looks complicated, Why would ya have one for freshwater tank when u can buy external filters????? :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Looks complicated, Why would ya have one for freshwater tank when u can buy external filters????? :oops: only looks complicated because that is a sump on a marine tank on a freshwater system it is not that complicated, water in , pump out i find it cheaper than a canister with the same flow rate, also a lot more media area but then i make the sumps myself, if your getting one made probably better off with the canister Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted May 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 I was just wondering really, I have just bought Afrikan's Fluval 405 so don't need a sump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia-15 Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 yeah, fresh water sumps really easy, mine just has a overflow with the water flowing into a bucket with media, theres a few holes at the bottom of the bucket, and a pump just pumps back up any water that flows down. speaking of which, anyone else on here running a full siphon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 whats a full siphon ? :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolliolli Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 i have a full siphon on my marine tank, livingart full siphon is where you have a tap on the inlet to your sump you can then throttle the amount of water flowing in the sump. you throttle it so the water level is a couple of inches above your standpipe and hen you avoid the noisy gurgling sucking noise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 thank you for the clarification jolliolli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 hey Mystic, how come the bit of glass in the middle is rased? how come the water needs to go down then up again, why not just over one sheet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markoshark Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 reduces bubbles.. And bubbles in a marine display tank = annoying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Nothing really inherently different between a freshwater and marine sump. Just a marine sump tends to have more gear in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Looks complicated, Why would ya have one for freshwater tank when u can buy external filters????? :oops: Why would anyone buy canister filters when for the same price (or less) you can build a sump with more and better filtration, as well as increasing the overall system volume and getting the heaters out of the display tank? That's a pretty basic diagram of a fresh water sump, one of the big advantages is that buy having media above the water level you get more bacteria growing because of the higher oxygen levels. IMO a 'full syphon' sounds like trouble, it seems like a good way to overflow the tank... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia-15 Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 true... but it doesnt make ANY sound, i just have another hole drilled with a pipe going straight into the tank, so if the bottom hole gets blocked, the water will just flow out the top hole instead. and if i see the water level in the overflow increases to hole 2, then ill just unclog hole 1, so far that havnt happened yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 29, 2008 Report Share Posted May 29, 2008 Thats a good idea having a secondary overflow so you can't overflow the tank. I'd still rather just get used to the noise, I had a 5'x2'x2' in my bedroom on an open 4x2 stand with a big sump and big pumps, after a week or two I didn't even notice it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolliolli Posted May 29, 2008 Report Share Posted May 29, 2008 nah much better to have a quiet overflow, and have a secondary backup. Im redoing my marine tank at the moment and as well as the secondary overflow i'm adding in one of the aquamedic overflow strainers. essentially its a overflow pipe with lots of slits in it so if the top hole gets blocked it will still drain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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